Reid may try to include heliport site in legislation

Suzanne Struglinski

Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Clark County may have to reconsider a site near the closed Sunrise landfill as a potential new heliport location.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would consider adding that the Interior Department also release land near the landfill site to a pending bill in Congress that transfers another tract of federal land to the county for the new heliport.

"I could support that alternative, provided Clark County maintains final authority over the site selection and that it does not slow the passage of this legislation or the eventual construction of a new heliport," Reid said in a statement sent Wednesday to the Public Lands and Forests Subcommittee.

Environmentalists have been calling for the change for months, saying the proposed heliport site would ruin the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area or the North McCullough Mountain Wilderness, which are in the proposed flight path.

"Both sites can get an equal footing," said Bill James, vice president of Friends of Sloan Canyon, a group formed to advocate for the conservation area. James, who traveled to Washington for the hearing, was elated at the news and called Reid a good friend to the environment in Nevada.

As it stands now, the bill would give Clark County 229 acres of federal land south of Interstate 15 at Sloan to replace the 45-acre "go-kart" site the county purchased and had deemed its best option so far. If the county could not use it, the land would go back to the Bureau of Land Management.

Las Vegas residents complained about noise from helicopters flying to McCarran International Airport and back bringing tourists along the Strip and to the Grand Canyon.

But residents from Henderson's Anthem community and other neighborhoods complained the "go-kart" site would subject them to the noise. They approved of the site south of Sloan.

Reid's office said the senator is not advocating for the Sunrise site but is considering including it to help the bill get passed.

The House Resources Committee approved the House version of the bill earlier this month, but it did not contain the Sunrise option.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., will keep the change under consideration as the bill moves to a floor vote, spokeswoman Amy Spanbauer said. He does not oppose the additional site, she said. It was unclear when the bill would go to the House floor.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., supports the Sunrise site, spokesman David Cherry said.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., is fine with the addition because it still leaves the decision to the county, his spokesman Jack Finn said.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., was hesitant to support the additional site. Spokesman Adam Mayberry the bill was formed by consensus and Porter wants it to stay that way.

The Sunrise site is in the heart of Porter's district and if consensus could be reached among all of those concerned on the additional site he could support it, but not until then, Mayberry said.

The bill would not prohibit flights over the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area or the North McCullough Mountain Wilderness but would require helicopter flights to avoid sensitive areas like petroglyph sites or bighorn sheep habitat.

Through the bill, flights could not occur farther than five miles north of the conservation area's southern boundary and at least 500 feet to 1,000 feet above ground. Each flight would also have a $3-per-passenger fee to go to a fund designed to protect cultural and wildlife resources.

The heliport is expected to open in 2008 and helicopter tours bringing visitors to the Grand Canyon and other local sites would move their operations from McCarran International Airport to the new site once it is completed.